Boat-propelling device



1,633 897 June 28, 1927. o. LEWETZK a BOAT PROPELLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 21. 1926 2 sheets-sum 1 IN N TOR.

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O. LEWETZKI June 28,1927.

30M PROPELLING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 21. 1926 INVENTOR. I 0% (mm.

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Patented June '28, 1927.

warren STATES OTTO LEWETZKI, F DETB OII -MICHI GAN.

BOAT-PROPELLING DEVIC Application filed August 21, 1926. Serial No. 130,592.

This invention aims to provide-a boat propelling device by which a craft is moved through the water by a movement very similar to that employed in rowing.

It is an object of the invention to provide a boat propelling device so constructed that the operator may sit either facing the direction of travel or facing-the stern. This is particularly advatageous when the boat is occupied by one person only, because he may sit facing forwards and steer more easily.

Another object of the invention is to provide a boat propelling device wherein, by exerting an even pressure at all times on the inwardly projecting operating handles, a vessel may be propelled faster than with oars, because all the effort exerted tends to operate the mechanism, whereas in rowing considerable efiort is wasted in lifting the oars out of the water and in pulling them back for the next stroke. Consequently greater speed may be obtained with less effort with my propelling device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boat propelling device which is cheap to mannufacture, easy to install, healthy exercise to operate, and is not dependent on an engine or other complicated mechanism which may go out of order or catch fire.

Having thus briefly outlined the major purposes of the invention I will now proceed to describe an embodiment thereof withthe aid of the vaccompanying drawings, in whichr Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of the invention in position on a boat.

Figure 2 shows a side elevation of Figure 1 partly in section.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4- shows a plan of a sprocket wheel and inwardly projecting operating handle, and the mounting arrangement therefor.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of Figure 4, and s Figure 6 is Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates portion of a boat having a stern 2. To the latter an ordinary bearing 3 having a pack ing gland 4 is attached. The propeller shaft 5 passes through and is supported by the bearing and gland, and terminates at one end in a propeller 6. The opposite end of a section on the line 6-6 of the shaft has a bevel gear 7 thereon adjacent to which is a bearing 8 by which that end of the shaft is supported. 9 indicates a cross shaft mounted in' bearings 10 towards its ends. Usually both the bearings 8 and 10 are secured to blocks 11 and 12 fastened to the bottom of the boat. Substantially centrally on the-shaft 9 is a bevel gear 13 which meshes with the bevel gear ;7, and onsboth ends of that shaft aresprocket wheels 14.

U-shaped clamping members 15 have plates 16 secured between them on which latter bearings 17 are fastened. Each pair of these clamping members is adapted to'fit longitudinally over one of the edges of the boat, and has clamping screws 18 for bolding it in position. To each pair of clamping members 15 a yoke 19 'is fastened which has a substantially central vertical opening '20 to receive shank 21 of a pivotal guide 22. Each bearing 17 supports a stub shaft 23 on which a sprocket wheel 24: is fixed. On one side of each sprocket wheel is an eccentric opening 26 having a boss 25 around it, each opening 26 receives the outer end 27 of one of the operating handles 27. Each of these handles intermediately of its length is bored to receive a pin31 which also passes through its pivotal guide 22. The latter are held in position in their yokes as by split pins 28- which pass through the shanks 21. This arrangement of the operating handles holds their outer ends 27 constantly in engagement with the openings 26 as the inner ends 29 of the handles move through a substantially circular path. The sprocket wheels 21 are connected to the sprocket wheels 14; by means of chains 30.

Collars 32 on each side of the bearings 17 hold the stub shafts 23 against axial movement, and the collars 33 prevent the sprocket wheels 24 moving towards their bearings 17. The outer ends 27 of the operating handles prevent axial movement of the sprocket wheels in the opposite direction.

Fromthe foregoing it will be clearly seen that the operating handles may be moved in either direction through a substantially circular path, and that as this is done a rotary movement in one direction or the other is imparted to the sprocket wheels, which in turn cause the propeller to revolve.

While in the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and shown, it is understood that the construction is susceptible to such modifications 1 as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A boat propelling device comprising a propeller shaft having a propeller on one end, said shaft being adapted to project through the stern of a boat, a cross shaft, means for driving said propeller shaft from said cross shaft, discs rotatably mounted in bearings adapted to be secured to the sides of a boat, an eccentric opening in each of said discs, operating handles having outer ends taking into said eccentric openings, means for mounting said operating handles intermediately of their length so that as their inner ends are moved through a substantially circular path said discs Will be rotated, and means for driving said cross shaft bythe rotation of said discs.

2. A boat propelling device comprising a propeller shaft having a propeller on one end, said shaft being adapted to extend through the stern of a boat, a cross shaft, means for driving said propeller shaft from said cross shaft,'clan'1ping members adapted to be secured to the sides of a boat, bearings supported on said clamping members, stub shafts in said bearings, discs on said stub shafts, said discs having eccentric openings therein, operating handles the outer ends of Which engage said. openings, yokes secured to said clamping members, said operating handles being so supported by said yokes intermediately of their length that as their inner ends are swung around a sub stantially circular path said discs will be rotated, and means for driving said cross shaft by the rotation of said discs.

3. A boat propelling device comprising clamping members adapted to be secured to the sides of a boat, bearings supported on said clamping members, stub shafts mounted in said bearings, sprocket Wheels on said stub shafts, said sprocket Wheels having eccentric openings therein, inwardly projecting yokes on said clamping members, pivotal guides in said yokes, operating handles supported intermediately of their length in said pivotal guides, said operating handle outer ends taking into said eccentric openings, said operating handles being so mounted in said pivotal guides that as their inner ends are moved through a substantially circular path said sprocket- Wheels are rotated, a cross shaft having other sprocket wheels thereon, chains around each of said first named sprocket Wheels and also around one of said other sprocket Wheels, a propeller shaft, means for driving said propeller shaft from said cross shaft, a propeller on said propeller shaft, and the latter being adapted to extend through the stern of a boat.

4. A boat propelling device comprising a propeller shaft having a propeller on one end, said shaft being adapted to extend through the stern of a boat, a cross shaft, means for driving said propeller shaft from said cross shaft, sprocket Wheels on said cross shaft, clamping inen'ibers adapted to be secured to the sidesof a boat, bearings on said clamping members, stub shafts mounted in said bearings, other sprocket Wheels on said stub shafts having eccentric openings therein, chains by which each of said first named sprocket Wheels is rotated by one of said other sprocket Wheels, yokes on said clamping members each having a vertical opening therein, a pivotal guide mounted in each of said vertical openings,

operating handles supported intcrinediately of their length by said pivotal guides, pins passing through said guides and said handles, and said ope 'ating handle outer ends taking into said eccentric openings. 

